I Found Religion . . . at a Taylor Swift Concert
My transcendent experience at Arrowhead Stadium
On Saturday, for the first time in several years, I had a full-on religious experience.
There was no church. There was no Bible. But there were hands raised in praise and jubilation. And there was music.
The music of Taylor Swift.
I know at first blush that sounds ridiculous—like something celebrity-crazed teenager would say.
But for almost four hours, I stood in unity and harmony next to my sister, my daughters, and 60,000 others (most of whom were women), and together we lost ourselves. We let go. We were free.
We wore short skirts and high boots, yet we were free from catcalls. We donned tight dresses, but we were free from criticism. We moved our bodies with total abandon, yet we were free from judgment.
We screamed “shade never made anybody less gay” and “f*** the patriarchy” in unison, and no one rolled their eyes. We laughed and cried—sometimes both at the same time—and no one told us to calm down.
We shed the weight of planning and caring for our families, and we traded friendship bracelets instead.
Community is hard to come by, and feeling safe and accepted within is even rarer, especially for women. But, thanks to the music of Taylor Swift, thousands of women became an instant community, and a football stadium became an instant safe space.
It was as if we all pledged to abide by an unspoken and unwritten rule: to disregard and ignore everything except immersing ourselves in music we love. And the result was magical.
As Taylor put it early in the show, in a moment when she was overcome with emotion, “It’s like we’re not putting on a show for you. We’re getting to put on a show with you.”
Regardless of age, where we came from, or where we sat, for almost four hours we sang the same words to the same songs and marveled at the same lights and same colors. It was a true shared experience that transcended the daily grind of life and the burdens we all carry.
I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever experience that same organic kinship, freedom and safety ever again—not just at a concert, but in any setting, including church.
Churches often tell their congregants to “come as you are,” weary or burdened. That’s how Saturday felt—but with extra sequins and sparkles.
What an extraordinary experience! Thanks, Steph, for 'taking us with you.'
Music can stir the soul! Similar transcendent experience for me...2016...Springsteen playing Croke Park Soccer Stadium (3rd largest in Europe) in Dublin, Ireland, with surprise appearance onstage by Bono two-thirds the way through his set. And everyone together, led by the Irish shoulder to shoulder on the pitch, pounding the air with raised arms and closed fists to "Born in the USA." An unforgettable heart-warming spectacle!